Whats the best free firewall?

[ËQINÖX]

So I have been using paid for security for many years be it Kaspersky and now AVG Internet security for quite some time and its soon to run out so I am looking to explore the free options and have already decided to go with AVG free antivirus but the question is what firewall to use.  The main 2 I have narrowed it down to are Zonealarm firewall and Comodo firewall.  Both options are free and I used to use Zonealarm many many years ago and was pretty happy with it at the time but i have not used it recently  and I have seen both bad and good comments about both Zonealarm and Comodo firewall.  So the question is has anyone used ether of the recent versions of these and what did you think of them or what do you think is better if not do you know of any other free firewalls that are good apart from the built in windows 7 one as it provides pretty bad protection.



Zonealarm=      http://www.zonealarm.com/security/en-us/cdn/2012/search/freeza-and-extreme.htm?oem=1520&cid=W200125&lid=en-gb&source=G:GRB:N003:Firewall&medium=SEM-Upsell&content=G:GRB:N003:A005:Broad:U04:T013&term=%2Bbest%20%2Bfirewall

Comodo=     http://www.comodo.com/home/internet-security/firewall.php?track=2740&key5sk1=d0b0ccdf040b7a4bafef4c9a2ae7595e4e97c0bb&key5sk2=2128&key5sk3=1392295082000&key5sk4=2740&key5sk5=1392295093000&key6sk1=&key6sk2=CH3201700107&key6sk3=7&key6sk4=en-gb&key6sk5=GB&key6sk6=0&key6sk7=Google&key6sk8=120-1&key6sk9=16801050&key6sk10=true&key6sk11=4ad3cc8b39d725e40b3497f3bbf77b5d7b6183bc&key6sk12=2034&key7sk1=2&key1sk1=ors&key1sk2=Google

[MrMxyzptlk]

I've always preferred ZoneAlarm over others, but... I stopped installing ANY additional protection when I upgraded to Win7, and everything's been fine for years now*. (All I use is the free Windows Microsoft Security Essentials, and I even set it to auto-update - something I had disabled for many years BEFORE now....)

Unless you're a target from some hacker you angered (or a foreign Super Power??  )  then I'd go without all the cruft that hogs up your cycles and space....

* Knock on packet safety! 

[ËQINÖX]

Ehh I don't like the windows 7 firewall its worse than useless it fails pretty much every test from the Comodo leak test to the GRC test it basically provides the same level of protection that wrapping your modem / router in a paper bag provides to the point you might as well not have it that said zone alarm and Comodo are not perfect ether but they do at least get a decent protection score that is way above the windows 7 firewall its not funny.   While your correct you will probably never get attacked by another user however that is only 1 form of attack the most common are automated systems that probe IP addresses for vulnerability's ether from a dedicated system or from a compromised website and when found they are turned into places to store illegal things or bots to be used in illegal activity or to farm personal info.

[MrMxyzptlk]

Ehh I don't like the windows 7 firewall its worse than useless it fails pretty much every test from the Comodo leak test to the GRC test it basically provides the same level of protection that wrapping your modem / router in a paper bag provides to the point you might as well not have it that said zone alarm and Comodo are not perfect ether but they do at least get a decent protection score that is way above the windows 7 firewall its not funny.   While your correct you will probably never get attacked by another user however that is only 1 form of attack the most common are automated systems that probe IP addresses for vulnerability's ether from a dedicated system or from a compromised website and when found they are turned into places to store illegal things or bots to be used in illegal activity or to farm personal info.

Oh, um, I keep forgetting that I'm behind a Windows Server 2008/2012 that is pretty-much bullet-proof, or millions of companies using it out there for their corporate communications would be in shambles....

Sorry! 

P.S. If you're up for REALLY getting into (server) computing: Many universities give out free copies of Windows Server XXXX to any student in any-level computer course. If interested, ask your instructor about your school's Microsoft Software for Students program....

Search: microsoft software for students uk